Exercising device



June 10, 1941. -v. DENGEL ETAL 2,245,027

EXERCISINC? DEVICE Filed March 16, 1940 WITNESS A. INVEN OR S BLfl/VCl/E GENE? ATTORNEYS Vim/wax; E/VGEL i 'atented June 1 0, 1941 cxaaorsmo DEVICE Veronica Dengel, New York, N. Y,, and Blanche Genet, East Orange, N. L, assignors to Dorothy Gray, Ltd., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 16, 1940, Serial N0. 324,259

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an exercising device particularly for use in gymnasiums and homes.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for exercising which does not require any great physical strength to operate the same but which provides bodily exercise particularly for women who desire to maintain slender forms.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is a top plan View; Fig. 3 is a view of the underside of the device showing the hub and a counting device; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the center part of the gripping element and strap.

The wheel I, which may be of the nature of an ordinary carriage Wheel, is preferably forty inches in diameter and is provided with the usual hub 2 through which passes an axle 3, the upper portion of the axle passing through the bearing 3 which is integral with the bracket 5. The bracket 5 is secured by suitable bolts to a Wall 6 and is supported by the braces I so that it is substantially rigid at all times. The wheel 1 supports a grasping device 8, which is preferably in the form of a leather strap 9, secured around a spoke of the wheel close to the rim ID. The grasping device is provided at its lower portion with a series of buttons H spaced apart and affording means for readily grasping and retaining a hold upon the device 8. The buttons II may be of any suitable form, and preferably comprise two portions l2, made of composite material, a portion lying on each side of the strap 9, secured thereto by the bolt l3 which passes through both the portions l2 and the strap 9. The upper portion of the strap 9 may be connected to the portion carried on the spoke by a swivel snap hook 14. One of the spokes of the wheel is provided with a series of separated pegs l5, set in line along said spoke. The grasping device 8 may be moved on the spoke, carrying the pegs l5, and secured between any two pegs in order to shorten the distance from the center of the hub 2 to the point at which the strap is secured to the wheel. In Fig. 2, the strap is shown as secured between the outermost peg l5 and the wheel rim. The front end of the hub 2 is provided with a plate I! having cam faces IS, the plate I! being secured to the outer edge of the hub end It by the four screws [9. An ordinary counting device 28, arranged to register each revolution of the Wheel I, is secured to the axle 3 in any suitable manner so that it retains a permanent position just below the path of the plate H. An arm 2| extends from the counting device into the path of the plate ll, said arm being arranged to be actuated to register the next consecutive numeral on the counting device 20 each time that the plate I! contacts it and moves it out of its path. The arm 20 is suitably actuated to return into the path of the plate I! after the cam face 18 of the plate I l moves away from the arm 2i.

The exercising device is secured to a side wall of a room at a height to provide headroom of about seven feet, four inches from the floor to the rim of the wheel, the lowermost end of the strap 9 being preferably about five feet six inches from the floor.

The manner of using the device is as follows: A person desiring to exercise stands upon the floor in line with the axle 3 and reaches forwardly and upwardly, so that the hands are stretched Well above the head and takes hold of the grasping device 8. The person exercising then pulls on the strap with a generally rotary motion of the body which causes the wheel to rotate in the direction of the pull. The exerciser continues to move the body in a rotary direction, bending the body in order that the hands continue to follow the course of the strap. This motion is continued for such length of time as the exerciser desires to use the device. The feet are preferably retained in the initial position, fiat upon the floor, in line with the axle 3, and compensation for the varying positions of the hands, as the wheel and grasping device rotate, is attained by motion of the body. Consequently, when the exerciser originally takes hold of the strap and initially moves the wheel, the body leans slightly forwardly. As the Wheel rotates, the body of the exerciser gradually inclines rearwardly and during further rotation of the wheel the body again assumes a forwardly inclining position.

Each revolution of the wheel is registered upon the counting device 20, the counting device being exposed to observation by the exerciser who is thereby enabled to ascertain the number of full cycles through which the wheel has been operated during each exercising period.

The device may be used to rotate in either direction, that is to say, either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, at the will of the exerciser. Should the exerciser find that the grasping device 8 is too far forwardly, it may readily be adjusted to accommodate the height or reach of the exerciser by moving it inwardly between two suitable pegs I5.

It is to be noted that the device permits the exerciser to stretch, simultaneously exercise subtaneous rotation with the wheel,

We claim:

1. An exercising device comprising a Wheel having a rim, a hub and a plurality of spokes radiating outwardly from said hub to said rim, means rotatably supporting said wheel in horizontal position, and centrally thereof, above the floor and at a predetermined distance above the head of the user, said device being rigid in all directions excepting that it is rotatable about said supporting means, whereby said wheel may be rotated freely and continuously in the same direction about a fixed vertical axis and the user may stand beneath the hub of said wheel without coming into contact therewith, a grasping device provided on said wheel at a point spaced from the axial center thereof, said grasping de- 1 vice comprising an elongated member depending from said wheel and having a length suflicient the device.

2. An exercising device according to claim 1,

in which an adjusting means is carried by the wheel between the rim and the hub, said adjusting means comprising a series of spaced members against which the adjusting means may be secured from slippage either in the direction of the rim or the hub of the device.

VERONICA DENGEL. BLANCHE GENET. 

